Sunday Roast Chicken Supper- On Monday

I love special Sunday meals- you know the ones I am talking about. The roasts that sit in the oven for hours, the stews that simmer on the stove till the house smells that way for weeks- it is the mark of the weekend, time, tradition, and delicious food. Yesterday was a Monday; I know that. But a day off of school merits one of these special meals.

We were “supposed” to have this massive Icepocolypse which was going to freeze us in our houses for all eternity. I prepared for this accordingly with a go-to roast chicken recipe. Nothing says delicious food quite like a roast ticking away in the oven on a cold and rainy day. This ice storm was kind of a flop for us (thankfully) and we ended up with just a lot of rain and above freezing temps. Regardless of this, I still prepared one of my go-to favorite Sunday suppers: roast chicken. This recipe is courtesy of Anne Burrell. Many of you may know her as the crazy lady on Food Network. Her cookbook, Cook Like a Rockstar, was one of the first I received once I started cooking more regularly. She uses common ingredients, common cooking methods, and big flavors to create Italian-inspired dinners even a starter chef can master. I highly recommend it.

Lemon and Rosemary Roast Chicken with Pan Gravy

(I served with roasted baby potatoes, but that’s up to you)

Ingredients:

Roasting Chicken (size depends on how many you plan to feed)

Rub

2 lemons, zested and juiced

2 cloves minced garlic

2-3 tablespoons rosemary

1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flake

Salt to taste

Olive oil

Pan Sauce (assembled at the end)

2 cloves smashed garlic

1 onion chopped

2 stalks celery chopped

2 carrots peeled and chopped

Salt

1-2 cup chicken stock

1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup white wine

Steps:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Assemble the rub: combine the lemon zest and juice, garlic, rosemary, crushed red pepper, and salt in small bowl. You are looking for a spreadable paste-like consistency. Add a few splashes of olive oil to the mix.

Prepare the roasting pan: layer the smashed garlic, onions, celery, and carrots around the pan. Season with salt and add the chicken stock.

Rub the chicken: Rub the chicken with the rub you’ve created. Try to separate the skin from the breast and rub in between layers as well. Place the prepared chicken in the pan.

Roast for about 1 hour and 30 minutes (depends on your chicken size). About every 20 minutes, baste the chicken with the pan drippings. This will yield a moist and flavorful chicken with crispy skin.

When the chicken reaches 160 degrees, remove from the pan and cover with foil to let rest.

Move the pan to the stovetop, and sprinkle the flour over the top. Whisk together. It will get very thick.

Add the wine slowly and continue to whisk. Bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Simmer 8-10 minutes.